Have you been charged with disorderly conduct?

There are many reasons that a person can be charged with disorderly conduct. In many places in Johnson County and Wyandotte County it seems officers use it as a catch all. If an officer can't find something to charge you with but doesn't like the way you are acting and wants to cause you problems they seem to always revert to "Disorderly Conduct" as a go to crime.

Disorderly conduct is a pretty objective legal determination. What one person may see as completely normal and rational conduct may seem completely different to another. Many times a police officer may take a person's immediate conduct out of context or not fully understand what is going on with an individual. For example, running around near the street yelling and screaming may appear to be disorderly conduct, however, if you put context with the situation it may be completely normal. If a person's home had just been invaded or they were attacked or threatened may be the context that the officer is not seeing.

The attorney's at Copley Roth and Davies LLC will take the time to hear your side of the story and depending on your particular facts may be able to explain away or justify the perceived disorderly conduct to a prosecutor or judge. If you find yourself charged with disorderly conduct contact an experienced criminal defense lawyer today. Below are a few general questions about Disorderly Conduct in Kansas

If you have been accused of Disorderly Conductcall (913) 732-3014 for a free consultation.

What is the Kansas Law on disorderly conduct?

Disorderly Conduct is, with knowledge or probable cause to believe that such acts will alarm, anger or disturb others or provoke an assault or other breach of the peace:
(a) Engaging in brawling or fighting; or
(b) Disturbing an assembly, meeting, or procession, not unlawful in its character; or
(c) Using offensive, obscene, or abusive language or engaging in noisy conduct tending reasonably to arouse alarm, anger or resentment in others.
Disorderly Conduct is a class C misdemeanor

What kind of punishment am I facing?

"Class C, the sentence for which shall be a definite term of confinement in the county jail which shall be fixed by the court and shall not exceed one month."

How much trouble am I really in?

It is a low level misdemeanor that usually involves a fine and in extreme cases a jail sentence. A person that is accused of Disorderly Conduct needs to understand that court is not where the final trouble ends. If a defendant gets a conviction for disorderly conduct then they will have a criminal record. That criminal record will have to be disclosed on job applications, school application, professional license applications, et cetra. The conviction will follow you around and you will have to explain the criminal charge many times in your life. It will also be used against you to build your criminal history score if you get in any more trouble in the future.